'Cats' Claws Up Record Books

Names & faces

June 20, 1997|By Leslie Doolittle, Sentinel Columnist

When the creators of Cats came up with the slogan ''Now and Forever,'' they obviously knew something.

The musical established a Broadway longevity record Thursday night by staging its 6,138th performance, topping the record of A Chorus Line. Creator Andrew Lloyd Webber's show, based on T.S. Eliot's book of cat poems, has been seen by 8.25 million people on Broadway, grossing $329 million. The gross worldwide is $2.2 billion.

Other Cats facts: The Big Apple production has used 1.5 million pounds of dry ice, 2,706 pounds of yak hair for wigs and 225 gallons of liquid makeup remover. Oh, yes, and more than 48,000 condoms - to protect the performers' body mikes.

TV Batman has movie dreams

Former TV Batman Adam West has a fantasy: playing Batman's long-lost uncle in Batman 5. The 67-year-old actor also has ideas about the script.

''My Bruce Wayne,'' said West, ''would have been romancing Catwoman with a brandy snifter-ful of milk. Then he would have said something silly like, 'Man cannot live on milk alone.' ''

'Mod Squad' at the movies

The filming of Mod Squad: The Movie will start in August. Producer Aaron Spelling hopes to cast Clarence Williams III in his old role as Lincoln Hayes, who this time will be boss of the young undercover squad. Spelling reports that three fresh names, ''an African-American kid, a white kid and a white girl,'' are being sought for the new squad. The vintage TV series squad consisted of Williams, Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton.